GEO. B. THOMPSON by George B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 31, 1907

GEO. B. THOMPSON

By George B. Thompson

Millennial Dawn—No. 7

GEO. B. THOMPSON

In Rev. 20: 1-9 is brought to view the millennial period, the time during which Satan is to be bound, and in which, according to Millennial Dawn teaching, there will be a “second chance” for sinners, and righteousness will fill the earth. The following two brief extracts set forth their position:—

“But God’s plan will not always be shrouded in mystery: the dawn of the millennial day brings the fuller light of God to men, and ‘the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth.’ The Sun of Righteousness, which shall arise with healing in his wings, dispelling the darkness of ignorance, is the Christ in millennial glory—not the Head alone, but also the members of his body; for it is written: If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified together. ‘When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory;’ and ‘then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.’”

“Thus the work will progress during the millennial age, until every creature, of every nature, in heaven and in earth, will be praising and serving God in conformity with the lines of perfect obedience. The universe will then be clean; for in that day ‘it shall come to pass that the soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be cut off from among the people’—in the second death. Acts 3: 22, 23.”—‘Plan of the Ages,’ pages 86, 243.

In a previous article it was, we think, clearly shown that during the thousand years mentioned in Rev. 20: 5 (which is the time in which it is claimed there is to be another probation) the wicked, instead of being alive and under the influence of the gospel, are dead. They are not resurrected until the close of this millennial period. They remain in their graves during that time. This settles forever the question as to a probation for sinners during the millennial period. In this article, however, we wish to notice briefly the condition of the earth during the millennium, from which it will be clearly seen that there can not be probation for any one on the earth during this time.

The Bible contains uncontrovertable evidence sustaining a literal resurrection of all, both righteous and wicked. “All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.” John 5: 28, 29. Without a resurrection, they that are “fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”

But while all are to be raised from the dead, all are not resurrected at the same time. There will be two resurrections, as before shown, occurring one thousand years apart. The first resurrection, which occurs at the coming of Christ, is called the “resurrection of the just.” Luke 14: 13, 14. Only those who have been accounted in the investigative judgment to be “just,” those who are “blessed and holy,” have any part in this sublime event. “For the Lord himself

shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17.

When Jesus comes, the elect, instead of remaining here during the one thousand years to preach the gospel to sinners, leave the earth; they are “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air. Not a single saint of God remains here on the earth. And we are not left in doubt as to where they are taken. “And I saw thrones, and they [the resurrected and translated saints] sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” Rev. 20: 4. These thrones are not on the earth, but in heaven. Instead of preaching the gospel to the antediluvians, Sodomites, etc., the redeemed are sitting on thrones of judgment. They are determining, in conjunction with Christ and holy angels, the degree of punishment Satan and his angels and each lost soul is to receive. 1 Cor. 6: 2, 3. The destiny of all having been irrevocably fixed in the judgment, all that remains is to carry into effect the sentence which is written.

But what about the wicked during this time? Of those who are in the grave, we are told that they “lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Rev. 20: 5. And what about those living in sin when the Lord appears at the beginning of the thousand years? “And to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” 2 Thess. 1: 7-9, A. R. V. Because they failed to “obey” the gospel when it was preached, they are now visited with “vengeance,” or “eternal destruction.” This is vastly different from a “second probation.” It is of this time which the prophet Jeremiah speaks when he portrays before us this terrible scene: “And the slain of Jehovah shall be at that day [the coming of the Lord] from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the face of the ground.” Jer. 25: 33. This is not descriptive of the work of grace upon the heart, during a glorious millennial age, when a power against which it is “vain to resist” is changing the stormy, sinful passions of men’s hearts. Having been left here in the earth when all the saints were “caught up,” their day of salvation is passed forever, and they are destroyed by the brightness of the glory attending the coming of Christ.

This same prophet gives us a further description of the earth at this time, in which our Millennial Dawn friends tell us the “fuller light of God to men” is shining forth in the earth: “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was waste and void, and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved to and fro. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of Jehovah, and before his fierce anger.” Jer. 4: 23-26. Here is a description of such a scene of chaos and darkness as reigned only before the fiat of the Almighty gave birth to light. The earth is not filled with a numberless horde of the resurrected wicked, but is entirely depopulated, for there is “no man.” The saints are all in heaven, and the wicked are all dead. What could more clearly show that the doctrine of a “second probation” is entirely foreign to the Bible. Men may plan about it, but in God’s “plan of the ages” it has no part.

The seer of Patmos has also given us a graphic description of the terrible scenes which take place when the Lord comes, and the one thousand years begin. In Rev. 14: 14 is given a description of the coming of the Lord on the white cloud. The time of the harvest has come, and an angel bids him thrust in his sickle and reap. “And he that sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth; and the earth was reaped.” The sheaves from that great reaping are gathered into the heavenly garner, they are “caught up” to God and to his throne. But what about the unbelievers? Do they have another opportunity? Listen: “And the angel cast his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth [the wicked], and cast it into the wine-press, the great wine-press, of the wrath of God.” Rev. 14: 19. The gospel, like dew and sunshine, has ripened both the wheat and the tares, and in the end of the world the wheat is gathered into the heavenly garner, while the tares are gathered and burned in the fire. Matt. 13: 36-43.

Once more the exiled prophet portrays before us the scene which attends the coming of Jesus, and the beginning of the millennial period. Having given us a glorious description of the time when he comes as King of kings, followed by all the armies which are in heaven, to take his people unto himself, the scene changes, and our attention is directed to sinners. Do they have another chance?—No, indeed! “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and

the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great.” Rev. 19: 17, 18. The beast, the false prophet, and all the image worshipers “were cast alive” into the lake of fire. It seems unnecessary to multiply further evidence on this point, as it must be clear to all who study these scriptures, that there is no hope held out to man of another age in which the gospel will be proclaimed. To-day is the day of salvation.